Coston, Dean W. (Dean Walter), 1923-

Variant names

Dates:

Birth 1923-07-28

Language: English,

Biographical notes:

Dean W. Coston was born in New York in 1923. He received an A.B. and M.A. from the University of Michigan. He served as Chief Engineer of the radio station WUOM in Ann Arbor, Michigan, from 1948 to 1961. In 1961 he joined the Department of Health, Education and Welfare as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary (Legislation). In 1963 he became Deputy Assistant Secretary, and by January 1966 he was Deputy Under Secretary. His chief concern was the development, implementation and administration of legislation in areas including education. He was involved with the enactment of the following legislation: the Drug Abuse Control Act, the Clean Air Act (1963, 1965, 1967), and the Public Broadcasting Act (1962 to 1967). He also belonged to the President's Task Force on Communications Policy.

From the description of Coston, Dean W. (Dean Walter), 1923- (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). naId: 10574014

Government employee,

Deputy Under-Secretary, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, 1966.

From the description of Dean W. Coston papers, 1965-1969. (University of Maryland Libraries). WorldCat record id: 34559651

Dean W. Coston was born in New York in July 1923. He attended University of Michigan, where he got both an A.B. and a M.A. degree.

Coston taught high school in Michigan, and was on the radio-television staff at the University of Michigan in 1948 . He also worked as chief engineer at WUOM, Ann Arbor. While in Michigan, he held many public office positions including City Councilman, Ann Arbor; County Supervisor, Washtenaw County, Michigan; and Chairman, County Building Code Commission.

He joined the Department of Health, Education and Welfare in 1961 as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary (Legislation). In 1963, Coston became Deputy Assistant Secretary. By January 1966, he was Deputy Under-Secretary. His chief concern was the development, implementation and administration of legislation in areas including education. His responsibilities included inter-agency communications, extensive dealings with Congress, and Federal-state-local relationships. Among the legislative enactments that he was concerned with were: The Kefauver-Harris Drug Amendments of 1962; the Drug Abuse Control Act; The Clean Air Act (1963, 1965, 1967) and the Public Broadcasting Act (1962- 1967 ). In fact, Coston helped advance the cause of educational radio by including it in the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, which he helped write. Finally, he served as a representative of DHEW to many commissions and councils, including the Consumer Advisory Council and the Water Resources Council. He also belonged to the President's Task Force on Communications Policy.

From the guide to the Dean W. Coston Papers, 1965-1969, 1967-1969, (Mass Media and Culture)